InterMune said Health Canada has approved its Esbriet drug for the treatment of the fatal lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, expanding the list of countries where the drug is approved. The biotechnology company's shares jumped 5.8% to $9.36 after hours.
About Esbriet® (pirfenidone) Esbriet is an orally active drug that inhibits the synthesis of TGF-beta, a chemical mediator that controls many cell functions including proliferation and differentiation, and plays a key role in fibrosis, or scarring, of the lung. It also inhibits the synthesis of TNF-alpha, a cytokine that is known to have an active role in inflammation.
On February 28, 2011, the European Commission granted marketing authorization for Esbriet in adults for the treatment of mild to moderate IPF. The approval authorized marketing of Esbriet in all 27 EU member states. Esbriet has since also been approved for marketing in Norway and Iceland -- and now, Canada. Esbriet is now commercially available in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway and Sweden, and is expected to be made available in France by the end of 2012.
| International Brand Name: Esbriet/Pirespa | Brand Name: Pirfenex |
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